Polypropylene modified with pelargonic acid esters



United States Patent 3,178,386 POLYPROPYLENE MODIFIED WITH PELARGONIC ACID ESTERS Roy J. Hickam, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Filed Sept. 11, 1961, Ser. No. 137,043 3 Claims. (Cl. 260-31.2)

This invention relates to a new composition of matter and is particularly concerned with a polypropylene compound having good low temperature properties.

Polypropylene is a very useful molding material which is compression or injection molded into any number of shapes and forms. In most instances, however, the use of polypropylene is limited to the production of articles that are not subjected to low temperatures since polypropylene while reasonably resistant to impact at room temperatures and above is extremely susceptible to fracture due to extreme brittleness at low temperatures.

The main object of the present invention is directed to a method for compounding polypropylene with a modifying material which improves the low temperature properties thereof without reducing its usefulness at elevated temperatures whereby the use of polypropylene may be greatly expanded and wherein satisfactory articles may be made for use at low temperatures.

In carrying out this object, I have found that additions of esters of pelargonic acid in varying quantities will modify the polypropylene and greatly improve its susceptibility to impact breakage at low temperatures. I have found that additions of an ester or esters of pelargonic acid in quantities ranging between 5% and 20% by weight greatly improve the condition with maximum improvement taking place in the range of from about 8% to 18%.

Specifically, I propose to use the esters of pelargonic acid produced by the reaction of the pelargonic acid and a mono-functional alcohol and specifically between pelargonic acid and an alcohol within the group including methyl through dodecyl alcohol.

Compounds made from mixtures of polypropylene and the pelargonic acid ester may be injection molded with high success. The compound may be further modified with coloring material so that the final article will have the desired appearance.

Tests have shown that various grades and types of polypropylene are all benefited by the addition and that the low temperature impact strength is improved over the polypropylene without the addition.

In the following table different grades of polypropylene, colored and natural, were used as a base material and the brittleness temperature of unmodified material and material modified with addition of isodecyl pelargonate was tabulated. In each case, the part fractured on the next lower degree of temperature.

All samples were injection molded in a one ounce Watson Stillman molding machine from granules using a cylinder temperature of 425 F. The unmodified material was molded from granules as received while the modified material had the isodecyl pelargonate milled into the material on a two-roll rubber mill.

ice

Brittleness Temp. alter Brittleness Temp. of Modification Unmodified Material with 10% Isodecyl Pelargonate Sample A Passed +8 F Passed 4 F. Sample B (Black) Failed at Room Temp Passed +10 F. Sample 0 (Natural) Passed +52 F Passed -20 F. Sample D (Re Passed +60" F Passed 6 F. Sample E (White) Passed +64 F Passed 12 F. Sample F (Natural)- Passed +54 F Passed 16 F. Sample G (Gray) Passed 44 F. Sample l-I (Black) Passed +18 F. Sample I Passed +24 F.

It will be noted that in all cases the impact brittleness was greatly improved.

In determining the optimum quantity of the pelargonic acid ester to use as an addition, I utilized Sample E with various quantities of the pelargonic ester of isodecyl alcohol. The results are as follows:

. Percent Percent Tensile Ulti Shore D Thermal Brittle- Sample E Pelalf at mate Hard- Expansion 1 ness gonate Break Elonness Temp,

gation F.

0 5, 350 10 O. 6345 10- +64 5 4, 680 20 68 O. 8l65X10- +20 10 3, 910 120 67 O. 9055 lO- -12 l5 3, 060 62 0. l0Xl0- -l2 20 2, 510 30 62 0. 9472X10- +6 25 2, 25 56 0. 9790X10- +42 30 l, 15 47 0. 6057Xl0' Rm.

Temp.

1 Coefficient of linear thermal expansion per 0. (avg.)

It will be noted from the above table that percentages between 8% to 18% yield the best results with a percentage of 10 being most useful both from point of improvement and economy. Twenty percent and above showed a retrogression in the improvement factor. All of the samples were tested on at Scott tensile tester and on a Scott impact brittleness tester (solenoid brittleness type) by standard ASTM procedures.

Similar results may be obtained when using any of the esters of pelargonic acid and mono-functional alcohol within the range noted, namely between methyl alcohol and dodecyl alcohol.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms may be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A molding compound suitable for compression, injection and extrusion molding operations consisting essentially of polypropylene modified with an ester of pelargonic acid wherein the ester is formed by reacting the acid with a mono-functional alcohol taken from the class consisting of alcohols from methyl to dodecyl in the homologous series thereof, said ester being present in quantities of from 520% by weight of the compound.

2. A molding compound for use in compression, injec- References Cited by the Examiner tion and extrusion molding operations consisting essen- UNITED STATES PATENTS tially of polypropylene modified with the isodecyl ester of 2,628,249 2/53 Bruno 2604109 pelargonic acid, said ester being present in quantities of 5 2,967,164 1/61 Aries 260 312 from 5-20% by Weight of the compound.

3. A molding compound for use in compression, injec- OTHER REFERENCES tion and extrusion molding operations consisting essen- Amer' Chsm- Pages 1494-7 (1944)- tially of polypropylene modified with the isodecyl ester of (copy in Scientific Library) pelargonic acid, said ester being present in quantities of 10 ALEXANDER BRODMERKEL, Primary Examiner- 10% by weight of the compound. WILLIAM H. SHORT, MORRIS LIEBMAN, Examiners. 

1. A MOLDING COMPOUND SUITABLE FOR COMPRESSION, INJECTION AND EXTRUSION MOLDING OPERATIONS CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF POLYPROPYLENE MODIFIED WITH AN ESTER OF PELARGONIC ACID WHEREIN THE ESTER IS FORMED BY REACTING THE ACID WITH A MONO-FUNCTIONAL ALCOHOL TAKEN FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF ALCOHOLS FROM METHYL TO DODECYL IN THE HOMOLOGOUS SERIES THEREOF, SAID ESTER BEING PRESENT IN QUANTITIES OF FROM 5-20% BY WEIGHT OF THE COMPOUND. 